Nearly three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, the impact of the war remains fresh in many people's minds.
This is especially so in south Brooklyn, where thousands originally immigrated from Russia or Ukraine. Neighborhoods such as Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay are home to where the Russian language is heard the most in the United States, according to the Brigham Young University Russian Language Journal. The Cyrillic alphabet is alongside the English language on up and down main shopping corridors, including on Brighton Beach Avenue.
Like other parts of Brooklyn, immigrants from the former U.S.S.R. and some recently from Ukraine, said the Russian-Ukrainian war, the U.S. economy and immigration issues will tailor their vote this election season.
"Within the community from a former U.S.S.R., you will never find a unified block when it comes to politics," said Yelena Makhnin, the executive director of the Brighton Beach BID. "Opinions are very different, and many support Donald Trump while the younger generation is in Harris' camp."
Many support Trump because of their conservative view and disdain towards socialism, which some feel the Democratic Party is leaning towards.
Michael Katon, an immigrant from Ukraine, said he is voting for Trump, just like everyone he knows.
"At least nine out of ten that I know," the Sheepshead Bay resident said. "We like Trump's policy over immigration, world events. Strength is required and he's very appealing. Since Biden, you can feel the difference. To a lot of people, it is [different]."
Jacob Kabanov and his son, Vincent, both who live in Brighton Beach, are also voting for Trump.
"Trump will do something better for immigration," the elder Kabanov said. "It's all open. Build a wall, at least do something."
For Vincent Kabanov, his focus was on taxes.
"I don't think anyone who's been working hard should be penalized," he said. "Everyone has the same opportunities. Harris wants to raise tax gains and Trump wants to get rid of federal taxes."
Over in Bensonhurst, Yuri Nazarov, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, said he will not be voting.
"My vote doesn't matter," he said, referring to New York traditionally being a blue state. "I would vote Libertarian if there were a third party. I'm unimpressed with both Trump and Harris. Kamala doesn't have any principles and Trump lacks focus."
When the Ukranian war came up during the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in September, Trump said he wanted the war "to stop," while Harris criticized her opponent's friendliness toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Despite how much the Biden administration has supported Ukraine by giving billions in aid, which many Republicans have criticized, Brooklyn's former Soviet community also has no unified stance.
"War in Ukraine and its outcome, in my opinion, is not the main reason people choose a candidate," Makhnin said. "People who came recently, less than 10 years ago, and old comers see it differently."
Both Katon and Nazarov believe it is time to end the war because it cannot go on for many years, and it is also best to accept Ukraine will not regain territory Russia took.
Julia S. of Sheepshead Bay, however, emigrated a few years ago from Mykolaiv, Ukraine, a city that was briefly under Russian occupation in 2022. She supports Harris because she wants the U.S. to keep funding the war.
"Some people came here 30 years ago," said Julia, a Hunter College student who declined to give her last name. "They are more American than Ukrainian. They don't have any friends and family so there are no ties."
Jacob Kabanov, agreed, noting his dad had immigrated to the U.S. in 1979. He believes his father is out of touch with what is happening between Russia and Ukraine today.
"When my parents left, it was the Soviet Union and they don't look at it any other way. So there's a disconnect there."
Much like the rest of the nation, the former Soviet diaspora were anything but unified in their opinion about the election.
